Romesco Sauce

This dip is our version of a Catalan sauce that has many variations and tastes great with almost any type of grilled meat or fish. It's worth the extra trouble to use hazelnuts (which need peeling), as well as almonds. Even though 2 tablespoons of hazelnuts seems a small amount, they round out the flavor of the sauce.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted
and loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel while warm

2 tablespoons blanched almonds

1 (1/2-inch-thick) slice firm white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 large garlic cloves, sliced

1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1/4 cup drained bottled pimientos, rinsed

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a small baking pan with foil.

Roast tomato in pan until tender and skin peels off easily, about 30 minutes.

While tomato is roasting, slit chile open lengthwise and discard stem and seeds, then tear chile into small pieces. Heat oil in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then add chile and cook, stirring, until fragrant and chile turns a brighter red, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer chile with a slotted spoon to a heatproof bowl. Add hazelnuts to skillet along with almonds, bread, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until bread and garlic are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mixture (including oil) to chile in bowl and cool slightly.

Peel tomato, then coarsely chop and transfer (with juices) to a food processor. Add bread and chile mixture, pimientos, water, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and purée until smooth. Thin with water if desired and season with salt.

Cooks' note:
Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*Available at Latino markets, many supermarkets, and kitchenmarket.com.

my notes

Menus & Tags

Tags:

Recent Review

Made this last week while on vacation near Barcelona -- seemed appropriate -- and everyone raved. Couldn't find hazelnuts so used more almonds in their place. Was delicious over grilled zucchini and eggplant, fish, and chicken.